Page 54 of House of Deceit

I pull out my phone and open my notes app.

“That’s a good one. I can get you the honey you need. Any others? I tend to suggest two or three things. So that makes two, including Ezra’s clothes.”

“Is it too childish to freeze people’s underwear?”

I snort. “No, that’s a great idea. My sister did that to some girls in high school. There was this group of bullies and my sister was really popular so she invited them all over.

“In the middle of the night, she woke me up and made me help her freeze everyone’s bras. In the morning, when they found out what she did, she threatened to do worse if they didn’t stop being assholes.”

Sharing has started to come more naturally to our interactions and it has made me enjoy our time together more and more.

“I’m sure you were thrilled to get to touch all those bras. I have a feeling you were a horny little bastard of a teenager,” she says, laughing.

“Joke’s on you, I had already touched three bras by that point,” I say, putting a smug look on my face.

“Silly me, I should have known. I bet all the girls wanted you to touch their bras.” She winks at me and the desire to kiss her takes over.

“I don’t know about all of that,” I say, feeling my walls crumble around me.

This woman is going to be my undoing.

Penelope is posing in front of the mirror in her bra and underwear when I walk into the dressing room. Checking every angle, she bends around, pouting her thick lips. Ava comes in on my heels, sniffling. I ignore the sound, unwilling to engage in whatever has led to tears this time. As she wipes them again, I watch her with Alec’s skepticism, wondering if the tears are genuine or not.

“Oh my God. Would you stop crying? You’re basically on a free vacation. Relax.” Penelope’s snotty tone makes Ava start crying anew.

“There’s no need to be a dick to the girl, Pen,” Rebel says. “Just because Lucas hasn’t fucked you this week doesn’t mean you need to take it out on her.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Penelope sniffs. I laugh to myself. Almost everyone has walked in on them hooking up somewhere in this house.

“Sure you don’t. Your ass prints are basically etched into the shower glass, but we can pretend like that was someone else.”

I snort and Mary Ella laughs.

Penelope doesn’t answer. She rips her robe off the mirror, puts it on without tying it, and angrily sashays from the room. We all break out into laughter once she’s out of the room.

“Thank you,” Ava tells Rebel.

“No problem. But she’s not wrong, kid. The water works are getting old. Charlie, don’t forget our yoga session later. Your chakras are out of whack and it’s giving me a migraine.” She grabs her outfit for the upcoming competition and leaves the room as well.

“Sure thing, Rebel!” I call out as she leaves.

I inch the padded pants up my legs, jumping to get the tight fabric over my ass, having given up long ago on trying to guess our competitions. We received notice the privilege game would be in an hour. While everyone finished up their activities, I took advantage to change without the crush of bodies. For how big the room is, when everyone is getting changed at the same time, it feels like the size of a jewelry box. I pull on my padded shirt as Cain walks into the room.

“The honey was a real nice touch,” he says.

Taking a page out of Alec’s book, I put on a face of professional indifference.

“What are you talking about, Cain?”

“Alec King’s contestants are almost always the deceiver in week five. You’re his contestant, so it was you. Don’t worry, I’ll make note of everything you do this week for the final challenge.” Cain’s obsession with the game, and specifically Alec, is starting to creep me out.

“Yes, because they couldn’t possibly change things around this season,” I say, trying to throw him off my trail. “Get a life, Cain.”

Not wanting to engage with him further, I move to the living room to await further instruction.

The chairs the bottom two sit in are my favorite after my experience week one. I sat in them as a sort of immersion therapy after the stress of almost being eliminated. One is now my normal seat. Sitting down, I turn around until I can hang my head down toward the ground. My feet bounce as I sing silently to myself.

Suddenly, my legs are pushed over and I’m doing an impromptu somersault, landing in a heap on the floor.

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